Hirabah
/hɪˈrɑːbə/noun
In Islamic law, hirabah refers to armed robbery, banditry, or violent public disorder, especially when treated as a grave offense against society.
Did you know?The term is associated with Qur’an 5:33, whose reference to those who “wage war” against God and society became central to classical Islamic discussions of banditry and violent disorder.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*ḥ-r-b
“To fight or wage war; the reconstructed root underlying later Arabic war-related vocabulary.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ḥarb
“War or armed conflict.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ḥāraba
“To fight, make war against, or oppose openly.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ḥirābah
“Waging war; in legal usage, violent banditry or public terror.”
Medieval Islamic Law
Arabic
ḥirābah
“A grave offense involving armed violence, commonly associated with highway robbery and attacks that threaten public security.”
20th–21st Century
English
hirabah
“An English scholarly transliteration used in discussions of Islamic law, criminal justice, and political violence.”